Podcasts by Future Tense
Further podcasts by ABC Radio
Podcast on the topic Tagebücher
All episodes
Big data and farming – the promise and the fear from 2022-05-01T12:30
Boosting your productivity by up to 25% - what industry wouldn't want to do that? That’s the future big tech promises for agriculture – one where extensive data is gathered on every aspect of the s...
ListenA slow move towards a plastic free future from 2022-04-24T12:30
Over the past two decades we’ve become increasingly sensitive to the overuse of plastic and more concerned about its environmental impact – but to what effect? Feel-good campaigns aside, the signs ...
ListenSpace-based Solar – energy above the clouds from 2022-04-10T12:30
Scientists are busy testing ways to build a giant solar farm in space. Also, what to do about the increasing levels of space junk finding its way into our oceans?
ListenThe future of satire is no laughing matter from 2022-04-03T12:30
Satire has been around for thousands of years, but is its power dwindling?
ListenForgetting, not memory, moves us forward from 2022-03-27T13:30
Forgetting is the only safe response to the world's problems, from a geopolitical perspective, according to author and journalist David Rieff. And forgetting is also a good thing in your personal l...
ListenWhen development aid goes wrong - propping up bad regimes from 2022-03-20T13:30
For many people, the provision of overseas aid is a democratic imperative and a universal good. But what if the situation is more complicated than that?
ListenWhat might a cashless future look like? from 2022-03-13T13:30
Physical cash still plays an important role in the financial system, but could it be replaced by a digital alternative? Governments around the world are looking to Central Bank Digital Currencies, ...
ListenThe fall of cash&the rise of central bank digital currencies from 2022-03-13T13:30
Physical cash still plays an important role in the financial system, but could it be replaced by a digital alternative? Governments around the world are looking to Central Bank Digital Currencies, ...
ListenDrones, witnessing and the view from above from 2022-03-06T13:30
Advocates claim drones make war safer for civilians and soldiers by making it more technical and precise. But drones are also being used as a “witness” of conflict by activists keen to tell differe...
ListenBanning books and floating suburbs from 2022-02-27T13:30
Banning books belongs in the dark ages and is anathema to modern liberal democracy, but in the United States there’s a widespread campaign underway to censor what students can read. Also, why is th...
ListenFashion’s fast future from 2022-02-20T13:30
Fashion is getting even faster, but there are also efforts underway to rein-in the waste and make fabrics from more environmentally-friendly materials.
ListenSpace pollution, stunted high-rise and the joy of missing out from 2022-02-13T13:30
As Earth’s upper atmosphere becomes more congested, it’s also becoming more polluted, and the impact could be dire. Also, why doing without could make for a fuller future; and what’s behind China’s...
ListenThe opportunity costs of global pollution from 2022-02-06T13:30
Pollution has long been seen as a health problem, but increasingly its being redefined as an opportunity cost to both individuals and society - and as a burden on future generations.
ListenRare Earths and the difficulties of supply from 2022-01-30T13:30
Rare Earths are essential to modern life, but their extraction comes at a price. So, how do we clean-up mining efforts & build a diverse network of suppliers without destroying the environment?
ListenSocial media: harm and transformative justice from 2021-12-19T12:30
Despite increased safety features, policies and content moderation practices, social media platforms continue to be sites where people perpetrate and experience harm. A new approach to platform gov...
ListenComing to terms with noise from 2021-12-12T12:30
When the global pandemic struck the world’s major cities were plunged into silence. But were they? New research casts doubt on just how quiet it really got when people were suddenly forced from the...
ListenOur adolescent future and reassessing human rights from 2021-11-28T12:30
Paul Howe has a novel theory that could help explain the current state of humanity. Adolescence, he says, isn’t so much a time of life as a state of mind – and it’s transforming our adult world. Al...
ListenThe new globalisation from 2021-11-21T12:30
Historian and economist, Marc Levinson, argues we’ve entered the fourth age of globalisation. An era, he says, that will be driven by the movement of “bits and bytes, not goods”. Also, should finte...
ListenTechnology: Questions of ethics and fairness from 2021-11-14T12:30
The technology sector has a long history of designing devices to lock in customers and accelerate consumption. But “planned obsolescence” as it’s called is facing a push-back. We also speak with Ma...
ListenAn international approach to regulating AI from 2021-11-07T12:30
Simon Chesterman argues for a new global agency to regulate the development of artificial intelligence. One that would also ensure an equitable distribution of its benefits. Professor Chesterman, t...
ListenAn update on nuclear energy from 2021-10-31T12:30
If you think coal is controversial, spare a thought for nuclear energy. It may not be everybody’s choice as a replacement for fossil fuels, but the technology is evolving, new reactors are being bu...
ListenThe positive side of monitoring from 2021-10-24T12:30
Surveillance has become mainstream in the 21st century. It’s now so ubiquitous that many of us no longer notice its intrusion in our personal lives. But not all forms of monitoring are designed to ...
ListenDisappearing cookies and a shortage of chips from 2021-10-17T12:30
Google has affirmed its decision to ban all third-party cookies from its popular Chrome browser by the end of 2023. Cookies have long under-pinned the business model for online marketing. Some anal...
ListenThe atomisation of religious belief from 2021-10-03T11:30
The big traditional religions of the world are losing followers, but not just, as is commonly thought, to atheism and secularism. Religion as such won't die any time soon because human beings are “...
ListenShould we really aim for sustainable development? from 2021-09-26T12:30
The terms “sustainability” and “sustainable development” are now so commonplace as to be meaningless – according to the sceptics. Worse still, a focus on sustainability, they say, can actually mask...
ListenThe Metaverse – turning life into one big online experience from 2021-09-19T12:30
Facebook’s CEO has spoken about changing the social media platform into a “metaverse” company and he’s pledged billions to the cause. The metaverse is a term Silicon Valley uses for the next stage ...
ListenBig tech’s big challenge from 2021-09-12T12:30
New legislation aimed at curbing the power and influence of the big technology companies has been drawn up in both the United States and Europe. While in China, the government has already implement...
ListenOur long-term battle with short-term thinking from 2021-09-05T12:30
Is our inability to think long-term influenced by the sheer number of threats we face? In times of crisis, it seems, human beings find it harder to think beyond their immediate difficulties. We inv...
ListenLink rot, pay walls and the perils of preservation from 2021-08-29T12:30
The cliché is that once something goes online, it’s up there forever. But the truth is that the Internet has a memory problem and some of what we’re losing – or could potentially lose – has signifi...
ListenAI inventors; “Affectivism” and the problem with Virtual Reality from 2021-08-22T12:30
An Australian court has given inventor status to a piece of Artificial Intelligence. It’s big news in the tech sector, but does it have real world significance? Also, a new research discipline call...
ListenBitcoin: silly speculation or the future of finance? from 2021-08-15T12:30
Almost every week, Bitcoin makes the headlines. Rollercoaster prices, environmental concerns and even the latest scams regularly make the news. But the sheer proliferation of stories surrounding Bi...
ListenA new alliance of democracies from 2021-08-08T12:30
President Joe Bidden wants to establish a new alliance of democracies to counter the rise of authoritarianism. He’s planning a global summit for later this year. But is such an alliance achievable ...
ListenThe trouble with Tech-driven farming from 2021-07-25T12:30
New technologies are transforming agriculture, but getting farmers to experiment with different tech combinations remains an issue. A technologically-infused approach can bring benefits, but it als...
ListenRansomware – a very 21st century crime from 2021-07-18T12:30
The rush to go digital during Covid-19 has coincided with a marked rise in ransomware attacks. Some have a political dimension, some are merely opportunistic, but all make sound business sense from...
ListenA non-proliferation treaty for fossil fuels from 2021-07-11T12:30
It’s time to attack the “supply side” of fossil fuels, activists argue. And the best way to do that is by establishing a fuel non-proliferation treaty similar to the one used for nuclear weapons. ...
ListenLitigating our way out of climate change from 2021-07-04T12:30
Responses to climate change are often marked by frustration as much as fear. Those seeking to end our fossil-fuel dependency are increasingly turning to litigation to force the hands of companies a...
ListenSome foresight about the future of foresight from 2021-06-27T12:30
Trying to predict the future is a timeless and time-consuming pursuit. Artificial Intelligence is increasingly being enlisted to the cause, but so too are “super-forecasters” – a new coterie of ind...
ListenWhat role will hydrogen play in our future? from 2021-06-20T12:30
Hydrogen is the energy du jour. It’s seen as a clean, smart alternative to fossil fuels, and major investments in its future are being made around the globe.
ListenRewilding: part two from 2021-06-13T12:30
In this edition we examine the natural forces at play in Europe where abandoned farmland is increasingly being reclaimed by wildlife. We also hear about Rewilding in an urban context.
ListenRewilding to safeguard biodiversity from 2021-06-06T12:30
Rewilding is a conservation approach based on the reintroduction of lost animal species to their natural habitats. Its original manifestation was controversial because it centred on apex predators ...
ListenIs the process of ageing inevitable? from 2021-05-30T12:30
Some animals, like sea sponges, can live for hundreds, perhaps thousands of years. They also never get cancer. Understanding why that’s the case has led scientists to question conventional notions ...
ListenIs dumbness our destiny? from 2021-05-23T12:30
Most of us are healthier, wealthier and better educated than ever before. We have greater access to knowledge and expertise than any previous generation. So, why do humans keep doing stupid things?...
ListenWhen satellites collide… from 2021-05-16T12:30
There’s been a huge increase in the number of satellites orbiting Earth with private companies and governments planning to launch hundreds more. Near-Earth orbit is already crowded, and the risks p...
ListenTeaching AI to fly like a bee from 2021-05-09T12:30
Scientists in the UK have developed a form of artificial intelligence that mimics the brain functions of a honeybee. The results promise to make drones and other flying craft far more manoeuvrable ...
ListenThe power of storytelling – a cautionary tale from 2021-05-02T12:30
Stories like opinions have become a necessity of modern life. Everybody is encouraged to have an opinion and everybody – in the vernacular of countless motivation speakers – is encouraged to be th...
ListenAre Sovereign Wealth Funds the best way of safeguarding the future? from 2021-04-25T12:30
Sovereign Wealth Funds come in all shapes and sizes. They act as government-backed investment vehicles. They’re used to fund specific social projects and to act as a nest-egg for future generations...
ListenEnterprising ways to make and shift electricity from 2021-04-18T12:30
Imagine if you could use your own body heat to recharge your smart phone? That’s just one of the ways scientists are trying to decentralise energy production. They also have an eye on new means of ...
ListenThe strange case of the trees that grow metal and how to harvest them from 2021-03-28T12:30
Agromining is a new process for extracting large quantities of metals such as cobalt and nickel from the sap and leaves of rare plants known as hyperaccumulators. Australian scientists have already...
ListenHow much change can we expect as airlines once again take to the skies? from 2021-03-21T12:30
As the global aviation industry is slowly coming out of its enforced hibernation, all aspects of the business are up for a rethink - from international routes, to aircraft size, even the design and...
ListenChinese technology is advancing, but it’s a long way from global domination from 2021-03-14T12:30
The “catch-up and surpass” trope now dominates discussion about Chinese technology. It’s very black and white - China is rising and the rest (mainly the US and the West) are falling behind. It’s al...
ListenEmptying the oceans from 2021-03-07T12:30
It’s estimated illegal fishing now accounts for the capture of one in every five fish worldwide. It’s a massive problem. But the biggest threat to fish stocks comes not from illegal activity, but f...
ListenWellbeing and COVID; the problem with Wikipedia; and the future of policing from 2021-02-28T12:30
Early in 2020 we looked at New Zealand’s Wellbeing Budget initiative. That was just as the world was going into COVID lockdown. So how did the initiative handle the economic stresses caused by the ...
ListenBrain-Machine-Interfaces - brain manipulation or brain control? from 2021-02-21T12:30
Brain-Machine-Interface technology is only in its infancy, but scientists believe it may one day allow the severely disabled to perform everyday tasks using brain signals to power artificial limbs....
ListenHype versus reality – getting some perspective on the future of cars from 2021-02-14T12:30
From ridesharing to electric cars to self-driving vehicles the line between application, potential and promise is often very blurry. In this episode we take a reality check on the future direction ...
ListenEcocide: making environmental damage an international crime from 2021-02-07T12:30
French President, Emmanuel Macron, activist Greta Thunberg and even the Pope have all given support for the creation of a new crime called “ecocide” - the deliberate, large-scale destruction of the...
ListenGeopolitics in a post fossil-fuel world from 2021-01-31T12:30
What will the global political landscape look like when the world’s dependency on fossil fuels is finally over? Adjustments are already being made, but for so-called “petrostates” like Saudi Arabi...
ListenReinventing research – Impact, outputs, and the US National Research Cloud from 2021-01-24T10:30
There’s bipartisan support in the United States for the establishment of a national AI research cloud. So, how would academics benefit and what role would big tech play in its operations? Also, pro...
ListenHow globalisation and technology are changing the nature of storytelling from 2020-12-20T10:30
Film, television and theatre have long been seen as markers of community and national identity – we speak of American sitcoms, British theatrical traditions and French cinema, for instance. But in ...
ListenOur understanding of AI and the value of a national plan from 2020-12-13T10:30
What do ordinary Australians know about artificial intelligence? Are they hopeful or fearful about the way it's being deployed? In this program we hear about the latest public opinion research and ...
ListenThe New Laws of Robotics and what they might mean for AI from 2020-12-06T10:30
Way back in 1942 science fiction writer Isaac Asimov created the Three Laws of Robotics. They were written into a short story called “Runaround”. Their influence on technological development has be...
ListenPlastic past, plastic present, plastic future from 2020-11-29T10:30
Over the past two decades we’ve become increasingly sensitive to the overuse of plastic and more concerned about its environmental impact – but to what effect? According to the World Wildlife Fund,...
ListenCycling into the future; and turning the gig economy back into a sharing economy from 2020-11-22T10:30
It’s easy to forget that the “gig economy” was once universally referred to as the “sharing economy”. So what went wrong and is it possible to bring back that original promise of flexibility, auton...
ListenUrban pandemic – isolation and inequality from 2020-11-15T10:30
Speculation about the future of the city centre started as soon as the world began locking down for COVID-19. Much of it has been focussed on the economics of “working from home”, but what have we ...
ListenBringing greater clarity to the laws of space from 2020-11-01T10:30
Commercial and military interest in space is growing exponentially. More and more countries and companies are keen to make money from space-related activities. They are also keen to protect their i...
ListenWave energy and artificial photosynthesis: the tech that takes time from 2020-10-25T10:30
Australia has long been at the forefront of wave-energy development, but the industry has struggled to find its place in the world of renewables. Can it ever hope to compete with solar Also, Cambri...
ListenSeawater greenhouses; the “insect apocalypse”; and zero carbon flight from 2020-10-18T10:30
Imagine greenhouses that produce food using just sunshine and sea-water. In Australia and Africa they’re already a reality. We talk to one of the pioneers of the concept. Also, the latest research ...
ListenWaste management: ingenuity, mindset and working with nature from 2020-10-11T10:30
Human civilization has a waste problem, and it’s likely to get worse as population levels grow and a consumerist mentality becomes the global norm. But there are many clever, practical ways to deal...
ListenCryonics: Dilemmas of the frozen dead from 2020-10-04T10:30
Around the world a growing number of people are choosing cryonics. They opt to be frozen when they die on the speculative hope that one day advancing science will allow them to be ‘reanimated’ and ...
ListenReinventing research – Part Two: Impact, outputs, and the US National Research Cloud from 2020-09-27T10:30
There’s bipartisan support in the United States for the establishment of a national AI research cloud. So, how would academics benefit and what role would big tech play in its operations? Also, pro...
ListenReinventing research – Part One: future scenarios and moving away from the publish or perish mantra from 2020-09-20T10:30
The research community is facing a “crisis of reproducibility”, according to the head of the Center for Open Science, Professor Brian Nosek. He says many of the traditional practices designed to ma...
ListenOne big game of Monopoly from 2020-09-06T10:30
Economists are predicting a further concentration of industries and sectors coming out of the COVID-19 crisis. What that will mean long-term remains uncertain. Meanwhile, in the tech sector, the gi...
ListenMachine-enhanced decision making; and clapping, flapping drones from 2020-08-30T10:30
Artificial Intelligence and other advanced technologies are now being used to make decisions about everything from family law to sporting team selection. So, what works and what still needs refinem...
ListenThe truth about carbon pricing and how to capture CO2 from 2020-08-23T10:30
Does carbon pricing work? It’s long been a contentious issue, but Australian researchers have crunched the data from 142 countries and now have what they reckon is the definitive answer. Also, are ...
ListenWhatever happened to the idea of geoengineering the planet? from 2020-08-09T10:30
Geoengineering is the deliberate manipulation of nature to lessen or reverse the impacts of global warming. Even its supporters concede it’s risky. A decade ago, the controversial technology was t...
Listen“Reengineering Humanity” and the Arctic Code Vault from 2020-08-02T10:30
The late Stephen Hawking famously warned that Artificial Intelligence might someday become so clever as to supersede humans. But academic and author, Brett Frischmann, has a different fear. He argu...
ListenJust-In-Time or Just-In-Case economy? from 2020-07-26T10:30
A little known management theory called Just-In-Time was originally devised to make supply chains in the Japanese car industry more efficient. In the second decade of the 21st century it underpins ...
ListenBuilding greater efficiency into construction from 2020-07-19T10:30
The global cement industry accounts for somewhere between five to eight per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions. It’s vital for construction, but can it be made less harmful to the environment?...
ListenMilitary spending rises as disarmament treaties falter from 2020-07-12T10:30
Australia’s decision to increase defence spending is hardly unique. Global military expenditure in 2019 reached a new high at US$1.9 trillion. Experts warn of an increased risk of military miscalcu...
ListenArtificial cities - from futuristic urban dreams to ghost towns from 2020-07-05T10:30
When it’s completed the futuristic city of Neom will sit in the Saudi Arabian desert, a US$500 billion dollar metropolis, thirty times larger than New York. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman believ...
ListenIs the future of live music an illusion? from 2020-06-28T10:30
As Australia’s live music industry has been left decimated by the COVID-19 pandemic and unprecedented damage to venues from bushfires, we’re attending more online concerts, virtual gigs and streame...
ListenAttention and distraction from 2020-06-21T10:30
How do we embrace the benefits of a world run on the power of attention/distraction without sending ourselves crazy or constantly diminishing our ability to get jobs done?
ListenToddlers and teens – better understanding their digital needs from 2020-06-14T10:30
“Playing IT Safe” is a new resource to help pre-school children better understand the workings of the digital world. It also gives parents a way to structure the conversations they need to have aro...
Listen“Lie Machines” in the age of Coronavirus from 2020-05-31T10:30
Covid-19 is being weaponised in a new propaganda war against Western democracy, according to Oxford University’s Philip Howard. His new book shows that misinformation extends far beyond a few bad ...
ListenSaturated trees and carbon rationing from 2020-05-24T10:30
New Australian research suggests trees may not be the carbon sponges we think they are. The findings compliment a larger international study that suggests the world’s major forests are saturated an...
ListenLocking down nature in order to liberate it from 2020-05-17T10:30
There’s a serious campaign underway to have 30 per cent of the Earth designated as a giant conservation area. The target date is 2030. But that’s just the start. The scientists and environmentali...
ListenInsurance, resilience, risk from 2020-05-10T10:30
The ongoing negative effects of climate change are putting stress on the global insurance market.
ListenAre governance issues failing the Himalayas? from 2020-05-03T10:30
The Himalayas are sometime called the earth’s “third pole”. They’re a vital source of water for a large chunk of the world’s population. But the local, national and international systems put in pl...
ListenCan we have economic growth without increased resource consumption? from 2020-04-26T10:30
MIT research scientist, Andrew McAfee, argues we need to rethink our assumptions about capitalism and the environment. Economic growth, he says, has been gradually decoupling from resource consu...
ListenThe ongoing fight to save public broadcasting from 2020-04-19T10:30
There’s arguably never been a more important time for public broadcasting. Amid the rise of disinformation, low public trust and diminishing newsrooms, independent journalism has a vital role to pl...
ListenPoetry in motion from 2020-04-12T10:30
In which ways is poetry being used in the modern world? And can the very human quality of poetry survive the development of non-human poets?
ListenThe politics of happiness and wellbeing from 2020-04-05T10:30
Many Australians are dissatisfied with the narrow economic focus of politics, research by the University of Melbourne’s ANDI Project confirms. They want the progress of their society to be measure...
ListenHow far are we from a nuclear fusion future? from 2020-03-29T10:30
The hope of nuclear fusion is the dream of a fossil-fuel free future - of limitless baseload power. Enthusiasts say fusion offers all the benefits of nuclear energy without the dangers. In theory...
ListenBlockchain Democracy, business advocacy and the return of human curation from 2020-03-22T10:30
Blockchain is a much-hyped technology that underpins the cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Enthusiasts believe its potential to transform other areas of business is huge. But what if Blockchain is really j...
ListenTechnology-intensive campaigning and computational propaganda from 2020-03-15T10:30
Political campaigning is fast changing in the digital era. Elections are now being contested with data and algorithms. Parties see it as a great opportunity. Others see it as a threat to democr...
ListenShopping centres&the future for spending from 2020-03-08T10:30
Australia is home to over 1,600 shopping centres, covering more than 26.5 million square metres. We are a nation that love to shop, but times are tough for these aging centres. Online retailers, l...
ListenThe Digital Welfare State from 2020-03-01T10:30
A growing number of human rights academics and activists are worried that our notions of welfare in the democratic west are changing – and not for the better. They’re concerned that the tools of t...
ListenWater banking, rain farming and other ways to safeguard against future drought from 2020-02-23T10:30
Water banking involves the deliberate injection of surplus water into known aquifers. The idea is to repurpose the world’s many artesian basins as giant sustainable storage tanks - ones that can re...
ListenWill the wars of the future really be fought over water? from 2020-02-16T10:30
It’s a scarce resource and likely to get even more so. But is it causing an increase in political friction? The answer is yes… and no.
ListenThe competition delusion; and a call to nationalise big data from 2020-02-09T10:30
Competition is often seen almost as a universal good. But economist Nicholas Gruen says a slavish adherence to making everything a competition is damaging our trust in public institutions. Also, t...
ListenCan the United Nations be reformed? from 2020-02-02T10:30
The United Nations Secretariat is now one-year into a significant reform program aimed at making the organisation fit for purpose in the 21st Century. It’s being driven by Secretary General Antonio...
ListenIs the Liberal International Order in terminal decline? from 2020-01-26T10:30
UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, has issued a dire warning about the state of international cooperation. The long-standing international order, he says, is dividing and that threatens future...
ListenOur changing media environment and a call to “decomputerise” from 2019-12-15T10:30
In this episode, we look ahead to the news and broader media environment in 2020 and pressing issues for local content in a globalised world. We also hear about the need to “decomputerise” in orde...
ListenModern Monetary Theory and its challenge to Neoliberalism from 2019-12-01T10:30
After more than four decades of dominance, free-market capitalism is facing a challenge. Its rival, the rather blandly named Modern Monetary Theory, promises to return economic planning to a less ...
ListenDigital Technology and the lonely from 2019-11-24T10:30
Digital technology is a new tool to mitigate loneliness amount older people. And find out about the risk associated with data "re-identification".
ListenArtificial intelligence, ethics and education from 2019-11-10T10:30
AI holds enormous potential for transforming the way we teach, but first we need to define what kind of education system we want. Also, the head of the UK’s new Centre for Data Ethics and Innovat...
ListenControlled Environmental Agriculture from 2019-11-03T10:30
Controlled Environmental Agriculture promises to be cleaner and greener. It’s focussed on technology and it’s essentially about bringing food production closer to the point of consumption. We exami...
ListenThe Privacy Paradox from 2019-10-27T10:30
Future Tense a look at how we might be revealing more private details online than we think and the value in the information that’s being mined - and you’ll hear how you could protect your data by a...
ListenPlanning for a problematic future from 2019-10-20T10:30
We all know the value of planning, but in a complex, complicated and often confounding world it can be difficult knowing how to start. Scenario Planning is planning tool for uncertain situations - ...
ListenGreat Green Walls – holding back the deserts from 2019-10-13T10:30
Desertification and land degradation affect the lives of around three billion people, according to UN estimates. Two ambitious projects aim at halting desertification and returning soil to producti...
ListenOffshore architecture and marine urban sprawl from 2019-10-06T10:30
There’s a new emphasis on land reclamation and building floating structures for everything from accommodation to marine farming to energy generation. Re-defining the use of the ocean is part of the...
ListenThe Psychology of Silicon Valley from 2019-09-29T10:30
To understand new technology we need to comprehend the social, cultural and economic influences of the developers. Also, making direct comparisons between the human mind and Artificial Intelligence...
Listen3D printing and the “plateau of productivity” from 2019-09-22T10:30
When the hype around 3D printing was at its peak, it was confidently predicted that every household would soon have a personal printer. That’s not the way it turned out. But 3D printing is coming b...
ListenThe creeping militarisation of our police from 2019-09-15T10:30
Police officers in many western countries now dress like paramilitaries. Special police units are being trained and organised along military lines and issued with military-grade weapons. Is this c...
ListenStrengthening public interest journalism while defending media freedom from 2019-09-08T10:30
A tale of two media environments: in the US, journalistic freedom is increasingly under threat from demonising rhetoric and the violent personal targeting of reporters; while in Ethiopia, the count...
ListenGoogle’s future city; the space-wide web; and how the ancients strategized for the future from 2019-09-01T10:30
Get an update on Google’s controversial proposal to take over the construction and regulation of a section of Toronto; learn about how the ancient Athenians used Tragedy to guide their future decis...
ListenFuture doom and the rose-coloured past from 2019-08-25T10:30
Why do we see the past through rose-coloured glasses, but not the future? Psychologists tell us that human beings have a tendency to be fearful and pessimistic about the future, while simultaneousl...
ListenNetflix's decline and why stricter regulation could strengthen the tech giants from 2019-08-11T10:30
Netflix dominates online TV streaming, but for how long? Also, Cory Doctorow on how more government regulation could inadvertently make the tech giants even stronger.
ListenCounterculture, consumerism and the far right from 2019-07-28T10:30
Countercultural movements, like Occupy Wall Street, are meant to be future-focussed — revolutionary even. So why do they often fade into commercialism? Are they simply a function of consumer capita...
ListenWestern spies face a difficult future from 2019-07-21T10:30
The CIA’s former counterintelligence chief warns Western spy agencies are being “overwhelmed” by their adversaries. And new surveillance technologies could spell the death of the traditional agent-...
ListenOutsourcing, automation and the messiness of global labour from 2019-07-14T10:30
Automation and outsourcing are dirty words for many people in Western countries worried about their future employment prospects. Developing countries are seen to be the major beneficiaries of off-s...
ListenPrescient Predictions: 1984; Brave New World; and Network from 2019-07-07T10:30
The dystopian best-seller 1984 was published exactly seventy years ago. Its influence has been profound. But does it really speak to today’s politico-cultural environment?
ListenHow to ensure free speech; and the EU's new copyright directive from 2019-06-30T10:30
Many Western governments continue to struggle with free speech. It’s not that they’re necessarily against it, it’s just that they don’t know how to effectively regulate out the offensive stuff.
ListenEmotions, relationships&technology from 2019-06-23T10:30
Our emotions are being manipulated, hacked and shared like never before. So what does this mean for their future, our relationships and the technology that's reading them?
ListenThe elusive edge of Innovation from 2019-06-16T10:30
Are entrepreneurs the great innovators we’re told they are? What if the ideal of the lone genius is simply a myth? Innovation is a buzz term that’s become so over-used as to be almost meaningless. ...
ListenCorruption: stealing the future from 2019-06-09T10:30
Corruption exists in every country in the world. It’s estimated that around $US2 trillion is lost each year to bribes globally. It not only corrodes societies, it also steals their future potential...
ListenCapitalism without profit from 2019-06-02T10:30
Some of the world’s largest and most influential companies make no profit. They are monopolistic in intent and very future focussed - they favour growth over profitability. So, do they represent a ...
ListenTurning aircon into a climate fighter; Open-source seeds; Otlet; and the truth about tiny houses from 2019-05-26T10:30
Hear about a plan to turn the air-conditioners of the world into a network of carbon-sucking fuel producers. Learn about a new licencing system for open-source seeds. Get the low down on who really...
ListenRobots in the classroom and news on Wikipedia from 2019-05-19T10:30
Artificial intelligence is now even entering the classroom - where does this take us? Also, Wikipedia’s role in the dissemination of news – a robust platform for fact? Or an invitation to constant ...
ListenAs the Internet divides from 2019-05-12T10:30
Analysts say that many countries and companies will soon be forced to make a decision between the Chinese version of the Internet and the liberal, Western model - both models have a very different ...
ListenHave we stopped evolution? from 2019-05-05T10:30
Advances in technology and medicine have been so great in recent decades that some scientists now believe we’ve altered the nature of evolution for plants and animals. Some even claim that it’s eff...
ListenNoise - does it have a future? from 2019-04-28T10:30
Exponential urbanisation and automation look like making the future an increasingly rowdy place. We explore our changing attitudes to noise.
ListenHow to trick AI, plus the online platform centred on encouragement from 2019-04-21T10:30
A lot of time and money is being spent trying to ensure the security of Artificial Intelligence systems, but what if you’re interested in tricking the system, not hacking it?
ListenAncestry, DNA and the Project of the Self from 2019-04-14T10:30
Commercial DNA research is booming. People are motivated not just to check for disease indicators but to search out unknown relatives and lost ancestors.
ListenThe refugee hackathon from 2019-04-07T10:30
Once the preserve of tech companies and government agencies, hackathons are now being employed in the community sector to quickly develop and test blue-sky ideas and create innovation in the social...
ListenMed tech – simulation and immersion from 2019-03-31T10:30
Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor Service has been taken over by dummies (mannequins to be precise). It’s all part of the development of an immersive training facility to counter the tyrannies of dis...
ListenPencil towers and issues around urban inequality and density from 2019-03-24T10:30
Critics say that the proliferation of modern, wafer-thin skyscrapers are symbols of rising urban inequality. Also: Are levels of density in our cities making us ill? And what's the impact of short-...
ListenThe news on smart speakers; the podcast push; and bringing flying cars down to Earth from 2019-03-17T10:30
Voice-activated speakers are mostly being used to listen to music and check the weather. The Reuters Institute’s, Nic Newman, thinks that’s about to change. Also, have we just entered the “golden a...
ListenCan free public transport save our cities? from 2019-03-10T10:30
Luxembourg is just about to make its public transport free. The first country (albeit a small one) to do so. But do the promises of a cleaner, less congested urban environment really stack-up?
ListenDoes the Meritocratic ideal have merit? from 2019-03-03T10:30
An emphasis on merit is often seen as the answer to inequality. Some argue merit should be used to guide all forms of political, economic and social progress. But who determines what is meritorious...
ListenAll at sea - mapping, mining and Arctic shipping from 2019-02-24T10:30
Only about nine per cent of the ocean floor has been mapped using high-definition technology. But a new global initiative aims to change that. It’s called the Seabed 2030 Project. Also, how viable ...
ListenGoodbye Google+, the end of privacy, and once were warriors from 2019-02-17T10:30
Google+ will soon be shut down. So why did the social network fail? And what does its demise tell us about social platforms in general? Also, understanding the real history of our current data priv...
ListenStreet art – the next space race? from 2019-02-10T10:30
Street artists are busy commandeering as many city surfaces as their paints will allow, authorities are trying to neutralise the threat, while advertising agencies are keen to clone the potency of ...
ListenFuture warfare from 2019-02-03T10:30
Autonomous weapons are on the march. Response speeds are everything. But in the heat of battle, ultrafast algorithmic decision-making can prove a curse, not a blessing.
ListenWhat future Antarctica? from 2019-01-27T10:30
It’s a golden time for Antarctic research, with more and more countries taking a direct interest in the great southern continent. But suspicions abound as to the real motivations of key Antarctic p...
ListenFaked reality from 2019-01-06T10:30
Are the systems we’ve developed to enhance our lives now impairing our ability to distinguish between reality and falsity? Can teaching of ethics and critical thinking help lead us out of the shado...
ListenAre rituals still needed in a world mediated through digital devices? from 2018-12-30T10:30
Are rituals still needed in a world mediated through digital devices? Rituals exist in our everyday life, as a way of helping us to make sense of the world.
ListenThe GIF as an increasingly important communication tool from 2018-12-23T10:30
The GIF, this little looped video, is often misunderstood as a component of modern communication. It has an important role to play in making modern digital discussion smoother.
ListenData trust, Computational Law and a “Google city” update from 2018-12-16T10:30
We hear about the EU-funded project Counting as a Human Being in the Era of Computational Law. We get up-to-date on a new data trust mark for Australian researchers. And we take you back to the Qua...
ListenMaking water out of thin air from 2018-12-09T10:30
More than 70 percent of the Earth’s surface is covered in water, but only around 2.5 percent is drinkable. In this episode we talk to various scientists engaged in making water out of thin air.
ListenTrams, bots and solar roads from 2018-12-02T10:30
A cross between a bus and light rail promises better transport; humans are sounding more like bots online; and solar panels on roads might deliver more hype than energy.
ListenPopulism and its relationship with social media from 2018-11-25T10:30
What role has social media played in the rise of populist politics? Also, what responsibility should technology companies have in preventing the misuse of social media by political extremists?
ListenReflections on the smart phone from 2018-11-11T10:30
Smart phones have become an essential part of our lives. But are they so familiar, we sometimes underestimate their importance? The role they’ve played in helping to shape our interests and interac...
ListenTransitioning to a new economy from 2018-11-04T10:30
Parts of Australia were built on mining and coal-fired power-generation. Then they lost those industries. Future Tense looks as innovative ways to move forward.
ListenThe rapid growth of e-sports from 2018-10-28T10:30
E-sports – competitive video gaming – is set to leave traditional performance sport in its wake. Whether to recognise e-sports as a real sport is not the main issue any more; the main challenge is ...
ListenFuture of reading from 2018-10-21T10:30
How do you read? And how will you be reading in the future? Writers, journalists and publishers discuss the changing digital and literary world and how it could look in the years to come.
ListenListening and responding from 2018-10-14T10:30
Future Tense looks at the seemingly lost art of listening - listening, not just hearing! And what being responsive can mean in the modern world.
ListenGetting serious about drones from 2018-10-07T10:30
It is time to put aside the novelty aspect of unmanned aerial vehicles and start designing domestic drones that are fit for purpose. But how do you regulate a technology that has so many different ...
ListenEnsuring a classical future from 2018-09-30T10:30
The world of classical music is changing. Some are predicting the demise of orchestral events. Others see opportunity in social media and a new sense of engagement between the audience and musicians.
ListenEurope’s time machine; solar geo-engineering; and how to build a better bridge from 2018-09-23T10:30
A massive data project is underway in Europe. It aims to create a kind of “Google map of the past” – making the minutia of history as accessible as today's social media. Also, the results of a stud...
ListenFood, ageing and the future from 2018-09-16T10:30
Across the western world populations are ageing. And that means what we eat needs to change in order to give us the best possible future.
ListenWe need to talk about Facebook from 2018-09-09T10:30
Three perspectives on the power of Facebook and content platforms. Was Facebook’s current form inevitable? Can it be “constitutionalised”? And, understanding content moderation.
ListenAI, populism and the threat to Human Rights from 2018-09-02T10:30
Artificial intelligence is increasingly being used for decision making, and there are now fears about how that might impact on human rights.
ListenTall timber tales from 2018-08-26T10:30
Cross-laminated timber is becoming a construction staple and the towers of tomorrow may soon be predominantly built of wood. It's cheaper and faster.
ListenSpace Force, space assets from 2018-08-19T10:30
Many countries now see great economic potential in space activity. Competition is increasing. Are we moving away from the notion that space is for all humankind? And is conflict in space inevitable?
ListenThe role of humans in the technological age from 2018-08-12T10:30
Forget the humans versus machine dichotomy. Our relationship with technology is far more complicated than that. To understand AI, first we need to appreciate the role humans play in shaping it.
ListenAugmented eternity and the potential of prediction from 2018-08-05T10:30
With big data and algorithms you could extend your 'virtual self' beyond the grave. And could meeting your future self help change your current behaviour?
ListenHealth data risks; the extended mind; and the Synthetic Age from 2018-07-29T10:30
US research says e-health data is particularly vulnerable to attack. The theory of the Extended Mind – should our tools be classified as a part of cognition. And forget the Anthropocene, we’re ente...
ListenWho would want to be a diplomat? from 2018-07-22T10:30
The future of diplomacy: Backroom manoeuvrings are giving way to public forums. And carefully laid plans can come unstuck with a single tweet.
ListenA not so diplomatic future from 2018-07-15T10:30
Diplomacy is often viewed as a way of smoothing the friction points between states, but international relations are becoming increasingly assertive and highly personal.
ListenBanning plastic may not be good for the future from 2018-07-08T10:30
Even those who campaign against the overuse of plastic, argue for a more nuanced understanding of its role in our lives. Future Tense looks at these nuances.
ListenThe implications of going cashless from 2018-07-01T10:30
The advantages of going cashless are many and well known. But in the race to a completely cashless future, what do we put at risk and who benefits most?
ListenAlternative forms of body disposal from 2018-06-24T10:30
Interesting alternatives to current burial practices include freeze-drying and shattering a corpse; and dissolving bodies in purpose-built alkaline washing-machines.
ListenThe virtue of sharing from 2018-06-17T10:30
Let's look at the virtue of sharing: How could sharing shape our future, and what do we stand to lose if we refuse to share?
ListenThe Tyranny of Metrics; and the Dark Web from 2018-06-10T10:30
Could a fixation with metrics distract and divert us from the real work at hand? And how bad is the Dark Web - really?
ListenGood enough, the EU’s data protection regulation and what CryptoKitties can tell us about the future of art from 2018-06-03T10:30
"Good enough" solutions are damaging our ability to solve the major global problems of the world. And blockchain is revolutionising digital art.
ListenPutting the theory of big data into practice – on a massive scale! from 2018-05-27T10:30
In Canada, Google is set to re-develop and manage a large area of downtown Toronto. In China, the Communist Party government has been running trials on a personal rating scheme for all Chinese citi...
ListenForging influence – the Chinese Government's attack on democracy from 2018-05-20T10:30
Clive Hamilton says that the Communist Party leadership in Beijing has begun to subtly, and not so subtly, influence the political and social affairs of democratic nations.
ListenWith nature against climate change from 2018-05-06T10:30
Nature Based Solutions is an environmental approach that seeks to counter the negative effects of climate change by working with nature.
ListenThe value of rituals in a digital world from 2018-04-29T10:30
Are rituals still needed in a world mediated through digital devices?
ListenWhat happened to the “future of aviation”? from 2018-04-22T10:30
We look at the political manoeuvrings of the major manufacturers, emerging competition from new players, and efforts to make the industry climate friendly.
ListenHave we lost our sense of reality? from 2018-04-15T10:30
Are the systems we’ve developed to enhance our lives now impairing our ability to distinguish between reality and falsity?
ListenNew insights about what happened at Pompeii from 2018-04-08T10:30
How do you correctly interpret a site that was initially unearthed so long ago? Modern archaeology provides new tools to chip away at the secret.
ListenWarm data, innovative electric transport and “fossil free steel” from 2018-04-01T10:30
Green innovation comes in many forms. And promising project don't have to be big, they only have to make a start.
ListenFacebook’s about-face and what it means for the future of news from 2018-03-25T10:30
News organisations are struggling to engage with online readers and even “digital first” darlings, like Vice and Buzzfeed, are now losing profit and shedding staff.
ListenCatching up with the Jetsons: cities in 2050 from 2018-03-18T10:30
What will future cities look like? How will they function and—importantly—how do we keep them focussed on human need?
ListenNATO’s nadir and how best to move forward from 2018-03-11T10:30
What needs to change in order to restore the alliance as an effective military force?
ListenDisrupting the disruptors from 2018-03-04T10:30
Has our contemporary embrace of disruption become a problem rather than a solution?
ListenCan the UN Sustainable Development Goals work? from 2018-02-25T10:30
And how will Australian aid shape the future of the Pacific?
ListenA new player and the effectiveness of overseas aid from 2018-02-18T10:30
Future Tense looks at the rise of China as a mega-donor and efforts to improve global aid transparency and effectiveness.
ListenAt work with digital media from 2018-02-11T10:30
In the race to take advantage of new technological possibilities in the workplace, is a focus on rights and responsibilities being neglected?
ListenThe GIF as an increasingly important visual communication tool from 2018-02-04T10:30
The GIF, this little looped video, is often misunderstood as a component of modern communication.
ListenThree Great Potentials – China’s growing international role from 2018-01-28T10:30
We take a look at three sectors in which China is beginning to dominate: trade, artificial intelligence and energy.
ListenIs happiness vastly overrated? from 2017-12-31T10:30
The ‘cult’ of happiness could be damaging to business performance and the sanity of employees. And research suggests that maintaining a level of pessimism in the workplace is actually beneficial to...
ListenAI, algorithmic decision making, ethics and the under-representation of women in tech from 2017-12-17T10:30
Ethical principles for algorithmic decision making; more women in the tech industry; inclusion in AI and design - these of all issues of increasing significance in the future.
ListenHow to tell the good mental health apps from the bad from 2017-12-10T10:30
There are more than 10,000 mental health apps on the market, but only a fraction have been scientifically evaluated.
ListenDepression, anxiety and social media from 2017-12-03T10:30
What is the relationship between depression and digital technology?
ListenThe future of war and reassessing the digital strategy of ISIS from 2017-11-26T10:30
Are old expectations and strategies prolonging our military conflicts? And is ISIS winning the cyber war?
ListenCryptocurrencies and blockchain from 2017-11-19T10:30
Cryptocurrencies enable us to transfer money with no fees and no bank, instantly. This is just the beginning of what digital currencies and blockchain technology can do.
ListenThe need for cyber insurance; identifying and tracking drones; and building tiny houses for refugees from 2017-11-12T10:30
Are cyber insurance policies too complicated? Could identification technology prevent drones from flying into areas they shouldn't? And could private gardens help solve the refugee housing crisis i...
ListenDesigning technology to increase inclusion for the disabled from 2017-11-05T10:30
Inclusive design isn’t just about meeting the needs of the disabled, it’s about opening-up the possibility of creating better products and services for everyone.
ListenHave universities lost their way in the rush to appear corporate? from 2017-10-29T10:30
Public universities increasingly look and sound like corporations. But is it time to refocus on teaching priorities?
ListenActivism that’s less aggressive and far more persuasive and persistent from 2017-10-22T10:30
Many believe that the future of activism relies on quiet persistence, targeted political involvement and an attitude that refuses to “look away”.
ListenMuslim start-ups, time crystals and a second chance for online comments from 2017-10-15T10:30
Islam-focussed start-ups often find it difficult to attract venture capital. We’ll explore the reasons why and the potential for development.
ListenPerspectives on Privacy from 2017-10-08T10:30
It’s a “wicked” problem: how to safeguard individual privacy in a world that now runs on the trade of personal data.
ListenConformity as a product, not just a process from 2017-10-01T10:30
The franchise model is on the rise and it’s moving beyond fast food and coffee outlets. We ask why? Is there more to it than a simple secret love of conformity?
ListenThe smart home as a safer space from 2017-09-24T10:30
As technology has become more sophisticated, its use by the perpetrators of domestic violence has only increased. But the Smart Home also has the potential to make the home a safer place.
ListenFishing for better food solutions from 2017-09-17T10:30
Future Tense highlights several innovative projects designed to help build fish farming systems that are green, clean and more efficient.
ListenRobot cops, Solar paint and Solar roads from 2017-09-10T10:30
We are increasingly being policed by robots. What are the implications? And what's the latest in solar technology?
ListenThe future of surfing from 2017-09-03T10:30
Surfers now attract multi-million dollar sponsors and surfing is to become an Olympic discipline. But how will this change the sport?
ListenHuman rights and the archiving opportunities and challenges of the digital world from 2017-08-27T10:30
The sheer scope and volume of data now available has seen human rights archivists forced to rethink the way they do things.
ListenRobots, AI and ethics from 2017-08-20T10:30
Why robotics needs to be as much about ethics, accountability and psychology as technology.
ListenThrowing rocks at the Google bus from 2017-08-13T10:30
Does the digital world fall short of what it initially promised?
ListenA future of reform, not retribution from 2017-08-06T10:30
Prisons of the future focus on rehabilitation - not retribution. And what if new technology could keep offenders in their own homes and prevent them from committing new crimes?
ListenCruising into the future - and the true cost of living digital from 2017-07-30T10:30
The cruise line industry is booming. The bigger the boats, the larger the profits. But what, if any, are the engineering and environmental limits?
ListenHow to make spaghetti bolognese from 2017-07-23T10:30
Social researcher and author Rebecca Huntley uses the recipe for this very popular and accessible dish to highlight the varied threats to our future food supply from global climate change.
ListenAnimals and technology from 2017-07-16T10:30
Digital technology is opening up new relationships between humans and animals – instead of alienating us from nature as in the past.
ListenOne Health, many threats from 2017-07-09T10:30
The “One Health” movement is about understanding the connection between the human condition and the health of the environment.
ListenThe problem with “humanity”, a museum of failure and cracking a medieval code from 2017-07-02T10:30
Failure, disaster and challenges - it's all part of human nature and the future.
ListenDynamic pricing - and should AI be granted “legal personhood”? from 2017-06-25T10:30
Algorithms use your data to determine the maximum you as an individual are prepared to pay products and services. And - should Artificial Intelligence be granted legal rights?
ListenHow to problem solve - the ultimate problem from 2017-06-18T10:30
Neuroscientist Robert Burton reckons our brains simply aren’t up to tackling the problems of the complexity of modern life. Could collective intelligence help?
ListenWhat future democracy? from 2017-06-11T10:30
Is democracy as we know it doomed? And could there be alternative forms of political representation?
ListenUnions, freelance workers and Codetermination from 2017-06-04T10:30
What can unions do to transform themselves to meet the new realities of the 21st century?
ListenUnions and the future of employee representation from 2017-05-28T10:30
Australia is now one of the least unionised countries in the OECD. What's behind the union movement's decline and what factors impede its future?
ListenPop-up culture from 2017-05-21T10:30
Do temporary outlets suit our social media times and are they the perfect mid-point between the online experience and traditional bricks and mortar?
ListenChatting with heretics from 2017-05-14T10:30
Moving forward isn’t just about denouncing fake news and ignorance, it’s also about rethinking some of the assumptions we have around the ways in w...
Hyperloops and circular runways from 2017-05-07T10:30
High speed trains travelling in a vacuum tube and planes that take off from a donut-shaped runway – rethinking the way we travel.
...
Building Wellness from 2017-04-30T10:30
Building Wellness - it's a new trend aiming to ensure that the buildings we work and live in actively improve human health and well-being.
...
The 24-hour city from 2017-04-23T10:30
Could a 24-hour economy improve your quality of life? Edwina Stott takes a look at our perceptions of the night, and how round-the-clock neighbourh...
Your personal brand from 2017-04-16T10:30
Could you be sued for your tattoo? Is a career in sport now about branding over athleticism? The art of personal branding is becoming increasingly ...